Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will call plays from booth; OC Rhett Lashlee will stay on sidelineAUBURN, Alabama -- Ellis Johnson's time on the sideline in the spring was not a hint as to where he would be stationed in Jordan-Hare Stadium on game days this fall.The Auburn defensive coordinator will call plays from the booth when the Tigers open the season Aug. 31 against Washington State, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Thursday.Johnson called plays from the booth for most of his career, although he did take the field at times at South Carolina. He called plays from the sidelines during the Tigers' A-Day spring game, but will stay in the booth to better survey the field and communicate with position coaches on the sideline. "That’s where he’s been in the past and feels very comfortable," Malzahn said Thursday. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will be on the sideline. Only Malzahn and Lashlee are expected to communicate over the headsets and have final say over the potential play calls when the offense is on the field.Lashlee reportedly planned to call plays from the press box last season at Arkansas State, but quickly moved to the field -- and stayed there -- after Oregon jumped out to a 50-10 halftime lead during Malzahn's debut as a head coach on Sept. 1, 2012.Malzahn has not yet decided which members of the offensive staff will be in the booth when the Tigers open the season."We’re still working through that," Malzahn said.
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2013/08/auburn_defensive_coordinator_e_1.htmlOpposite of what I'd prefer. Seems like Rhett & Gus together on the field is redundant. Also, just in general, if anyone needs a bird's eye view, it's the OC. Prefer the DC to be on the field firing their guys up.Oh we'll.
Was the OC with Gus last year? Could be a teaching thing.